Happy birthday DavidH, 70 today. A classical scholar and linguist who enlightened youth with his teaching throughout a long and illustrious career, he left this forum after some twerp suggested that Google Translate was sufficient evidence to rebut his correction to a mis-translation. Little wonder this place is otherwise so quiet. Empty vessels make the most noise.

"I don't mean to sound bitter, cynical and cruel; but I am, so that's how it comes out." Bill Hicks."One should not believe everything one reads on the internet." Abraham Lincoln"Are you OK?" daftbeaker (<-- very good question, people should ask it more often.)

Thank you very much, Roy - but I haven't left the forum, even if I visit less frequently these days. I didn't take umbrage at the rather silly exchange you mention, but it wasn't worth pursuing. I'll be around, never fear.

"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."("Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain.")-- Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805)Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.-- Philip K DickWhat happens when all the renewable energy runs out?-- Victoria AylingEnglish isn't much of a language for swearing. When I studied Ancient Greek I was delighted to discover a single word - Rhaphanidosthai - which translates roughly as "Be thou thrust up the fundament with a radish for adultery."

Roy Hunter wrote:some twerp suggested that Google Translate was sufficient evidence to rebut his correction to a mis-translation.

I rebutted the French translation, which I double checked with my French instructor, whose first language is French, yamuppet.

Anyway, happy birthday Davey!

No you didn't. You completely ignored your own glaring mistake, and added a further error to your tally, which undermines any credibility you might have considered that the adults hold you in.

Here is the bit you got wrong:

StayThirstyMyAguila wrote:The word "protégé" is Latin for "protect"

This is incorrect. You got this wrong.

Here is the error you added: protégé is a valid word in the English language, as it is in Portuguese. It is a cognate of a French word, which is derived from the Latin root. You do not need to translate the word protégé any more than you need to translate the words entrepreneur or croissant.

"I don't mean to sound bitter, cynical and cruel; but I am, so that's how it comes out." Bill Hicks."One should not believe everything one reads on the internet." Abraham Lincoln"Are you OK?" daftbeaker (<-- very good question, people should ask it more often.)

DavidH wrote:If it has é in it, it ain't Latin. This word has two of 'em.

So doesn't that mean they cancel each other out?

"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."("Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain.")-- Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805)Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.-- Philip K DickWhat happens when all the renewable energy runs out?-- Victoria AylingEnglish isn't much of a language for swearing. When I studied Ancient Greek I was delighted to discover a single word - Rhaphanidosthai - which translates roughly as "Be thou thrust up the fundament with a radish for adultery."

Your first mistake was referencing an English dictionary for a French definition.Den agin oi gunna ignoor how stewpit tha abuff sintince iz cuz me brane too small .Even so, it explicitly supports what I said from the start, yoosing me oan speshull logic . Me mummy lives on tha moon.

Roy Hunter wrote:some twerp suggested that Google Translate was sufficient evidence to rebut his correction to a mis-translation.

I rebutted the French translation, which I double checked with my French instructor, whose first language is French, yamuppet.

As Roy has pointed out, you did nothing of the sort. To 'rebut' means to show that someone else was wrong.

What you said:The word "protégé" is Latin for "protect", French & Portuguese for "protected" (roughly), and Spanish for "protects" (roughly).It's also English for "protégé".

What David said:Sorry, STMA, but "protégé" is French for "protected". The Latin equivalent is protectus (-a, -um).

So he was in fact AGREEING with you about the translation into French (it being a French word and all). The rebuttal was David telling you that your claim protege was latin was totally incorrect. Something backed up by your later statement:

I probably should have mentioned that I'm using [url]translate.google.com[/url], so there's bound to be errors. I'm certain about the French, though.

Shall we sum up? You made a correct statement about protege being a French word and an incorrect statement about protege being a Latin word. Rather than accept you were wrong, you continue to bluster about 'rebutting' something you never did (because DavidH was agreeing with you). You then, when Roy uses a dictionary definition to point out that protege is a FRENCH word think that because that definition is in an English dictionary it somehow invalidates where the word protege comes from.

You are a weapons grade idiot.

Too old to give up but too young to rest - Pete Townshend

I would rather be a rising ape than a falling angel - Sir Terry Pratchett